Cable holder and gauge



Jan. 25, 1949. M FRANK l I 2,460,001

CABLE HOLDER AND GAUGE v v Filed May 25, 194e 2 sheets-sheet 1 'lllllnll /I Il llllnl Mon/Tf F RAN/r Jan. 25, 1949. i M. FRANK 2,460,001

CABLE HOLDER AND GAUGE Filed May 25, 1946 v v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 InventorMa/75 FRA/VK Patented Jan. 25, 1949 UNITEn STATE S PATENT OFFICE 'Y Thisinvention relates tov a cable holder and gage and has for its primaryobject to facilitate the cutting of armored electrical cable, and alsoto facilitate the cutting of the armor thereof at predetermineddistances from the end of the cable.

Another object is to hold the cable steady while the cutting of thearmor thereof progresses.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this inventionwhich embodies among its features a base, a tubular cable support onsaid base, said cable support having a diagonal slot therein throughwhich a cutting tool is adapted to be introduced for cutting through thecable armor.

Other features include a spike projecting axially from one end of thecable support and adapted to be entered into a xed support whereby thedevice may be steadied during the cutting of the cable armor, and apistol grip at the end of the base opposite the spike.

Still further features include a clamp adjacent the cable support forholding a cable during rthe process of severing it into two parts.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a gage embodying the features of thisinvention,

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view takensubstantially along the line 3--3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along theline 4--4 of Figure 2, and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along theline 5-5 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my improved cable holder and gagecomprises a base I to the underside of which is Xed adjacent one end apistol grip II, and supported on the upper side of the base I0 is myimproved gage tube and cable support designated generally I2.

The gage tube and cable support I2 comprises a tubular body I3 which iswelded or otherwise rigidly fixed to the upper side of the base I0 toone side of the longitudinal axis thereof. A cap I4 closes the end ofthe tubular body I3 at the end of the base I0 opposite the pistol gripII, and carried by the cap is an axially disposed longitudinal spike Ithe use of which will more fully hereinafter appear. Formed in the upperside of the tubular body I3 are spaced sight openings I6 and I1 throughwhich the cable is visible when it is introduced into the support I2.Formed in the body I3 in spaced relation to the openings I6 and I'I is adiagonal slot I8 through which a cutting 1 claim. (C1. 29-67) tool isintroduced to cut the armor of the Vcable as will be more fullyhereinafter explained.

Formed in the upper side of the tubular member I3 adjacent the end nearthe pistol grip II is an internally screw threaded opening I9 for thereception of a thumb screw 20 by means of which the cable may be clampedin position in the device.

Mounted on the base I0 adjacent the cable support I2, and near the capI4 is a cable clamp designated generally 2I. This cable clamp 2|comprises a bed piece 22 which is welded or otherwise secured to thebase I0 and carries at opposite sides upstanding slightly convergentflanges 23. These flanges are provided with transversely extendingaligning slots 24 which are arranged in alignment with a transverse slot25 formed in the cable support I2 between the sight openings I6 and I1.

In use, a cable which is to be cut in two is introduced into the cableclamp 2| between the side ilanges 23, so as to intersect the slots 24.By introducing a cutting tool such as a hack saw, into the slots 24 and25 it will be evident that the cable may be cut in two along a planeperpendicular to its longitudinal axis. Having thus cut the cable anddesiring to cut through the armor as is required when making a junction,the cut end of the cable is introduced into the cable support I2 untilits cut end is visible through one or the other of the sight openings I6or I', depending upon the length of armor that is to be removed. Thethumb screw 20 is then turned in the threaded opening I9 firmly to clampthe cable in place and upon introducing a cutting tool such as a hacksaw into the diagonal slot I8, the cutting of the armor may proceed. Inorder to avoid cutting the cable deeper than is necessary to sever thearmor I secure hardened steel blocks 26 to the opposite sides of thecable support in a position to bridge the diagonal slot and limit thedistance that the cutting tool may enter it. The sight openings I6 andI'I are located at a known distance from the diagonal slot I8, and thediagonal slot is located at a known distance from the inner end of thecap I4 so that the user by thrusting the cable the full length of thecable support I2 will produce a cut with the cutting tool in thediagonal slot a known distance from the end of the cable. In this way, awide selection of cuts in the armor may be had. By thrusting the spikeI5 into a fixed support such as a column, stud, or joist in a buildingwhich is being wired,

i5A and firmly grasping the pistol grip I I it is obvious 3 that thedevice may be held steady during the cutting operation.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction, combination and arrangement of the partsmay be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed. n

What I claimis:

A cable holder and gage for 'use in cutting armored electrical cablecomprising a base, a

tubular cable support on said base and said cable support having adiagonal slot therein through I which a cutting tool is adapted to beintroduced for cutting through the cable armonfandfsaid cable supporthaving longitudinally,Spacedsight openings spaced known distances from'the 'slot whereby the armor of an armored electri'ealeable may besevered a known distance from its end, a; clamp inear one end of the'cable` supporttem- MONTE FRANK.

REFERENCES CITED The .fefe'rericeshafoi "record in the fir-sof this'patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS Nurnbeij.- l Name Date 144,406 Mead Nov.11, 1873 937,954 Y Pearson Oct. 26, 1909 1,0%,800 l., Kawasaki Dec. 10,1912 1,111,388 Johnson Sept. *22, 1914 1,471,593 Davis Oct. 23, 19232,031,470 Eck et al.,` Feb. 18, 1936 2,376,858, Ba.11rans;et.ai1,iMaggi-'295s 19.45

